Old alloy mast ....too old?

[Robbie.g]

Had a guy in who lost his mast when another boat dragged it's mooring onto him, stays got caught up and snapped his mast about 2 inches above the spreaders. Obviously a few issues about liability in the above, but the interesting part is that the guy's insurer say's that the mast is too old (30yrs).. They say that the mast has a finite life, 'like a pair of levi's' the insurance man said; and as the mast was outside of it's 'life' , it has no intrinsic value. [no payout].
If the mast was 15yrs old they would've coughed with out question [apparently].
This is the owners version, but if it's true then it's got to make you think..... There must be a few mast around at about the 30yr mark!
Any thoughts, comments?

[Stumble]

This is an insurance company that doesn't want to pay, plain and simple. Rigs don't wear out like a pair of jeans, they wearout like like a rock... everything is going along fine until someone hits it with a hammer.

My guess is that the adjuster was looking at the depreciation table for a mast, which probably lists it at 30 years, and applied that to its lifespan. My advice is to have the owner call an attorney if he can't get the insurance guys to cough up the money for a new one.

[Robbie.g]

your unfortunately right stumble, maybe using an offshore company that saves you a few bucks premium could, as in this case, come back to bite you on the ass. At least if the company has an office in your country you've got a door to go and knock on.
I understand the company has agreed to pay half toward the repair as a 'goodwill gesture', something that happens i guess if the insurance co. want a quiet life, but want to set no standards for other claims, [you go quietly].
Interesting .....

[Don Ferrell]

Who insured, I would want to avoid that Co.

[Robbie.g]

don't quote me, but the rumor is, that it may be a company that is endorsed by the Island Cruising Association. [the brokers are here in NZ].